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Monday, October 19, 2015

I save all my scraps that are at least a quarter of a yard. So, there is usually plenty to design new shirts. Sometimes I cut up the pattern to piece a new T and other times I piece the fabric first. Then I lay the pattern on the newly created fabric. I might even change my design once I start. The gray T was changed from the way I originally draped the fabric on my form.

Monday, August 3, 2015

This T shirt was sewn entirely by hand. I overlapped all seams 1/2 inch and pinned in place. I used a contrasting thread and sewed a double running stitch on all seams. Hems and neckline were sewn with a single running stitch. It took four evenings, watching Netflix to finish this. The green on the lavender is so much more interesting than if I had just run it through the machine with no detail.

I got a bit carried away with channeling Alabama Chanin http://alabamachanin.com/. After adding a bust dart, adding 1/2 inch to the back below the armseye, and taking out about a 1/2 inch at the front hip line I had a pattern that seemed about right for my friend's new T. I used scraps from several solid shirts I made for myself earlier this season. (I love solid jewel tone shirts in the summer months.) To design my friends shirt I sewed the fabric pieces together first for a color block effect. I then positioned the pattern pieces for the best look. Initially I used the green for the neck band but didn't really like it. I thought it looked like a bowling shirt. Friends said they liked the green so maybe my judgement was off. I went with the peach color anyway. Next I decided to add some contrasting colored circles using a blanket stitch to applique them on. Now, I have a shirt the looks a bit clownish, which was confirmed by another friend. My friends seem to be doing a great job as a focus group - I just need to listen to them. I did achieve my goal to get a good fit for my friend. She said it was the best fit so far.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Knit tops with pants or jeans are my standard uniform. I toss in a shirt from time to time but knit is really so easy to sew and wear.

When I feel I really don't need one more knit top in my closet I find a friend who might like one of my creations. The two tops below are the test run for my friend Leighann. She is an apple and I am a pear so my pattern needs some tweaking to fit her. Her arms are so tiny compared to mine. I have a large bust but Leighann tops mine (bad pun). I determined that even a knit for her should have a dart so the next top will have a bust dart.

The fabric has been in my stash for too many years so it was nice to put it to good use.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Several years into my retirement, I decided I needed a dog.
After much research, I decided to get a German Shepherd Dog. My sister, who has
had many GSDs said, “You know they shed.” I replied, “No problem”. She
repeated, “No, I mean they really shed a lot.” I continued to ignore the
warning and set out to find a GSD.

I decided to go the rescue route and found Westside German
Shepherd Rescue in Los Angeles. I made an appointment and drove to their
facility. The first dog presented to me was an older dog, very docile but just
did not seem to have much spark. Robin said she had another dog that had just
been spayed. We went to the vets and the vet tech said she hated the dog. Misty
was put on a leash and proceeded to race around the block with me attempting to
follow. Robin said, “I think you can handle her.” Several weeks later I called
Westside to let them know how we were doing. The response was, “We thought you
would bring her back within two weeks.” Sorry, I don’t give up that easily.

I am now the owner of a dog who is completely out of
control, showing no signs of being co-operative. She has a whine that is ear
piercing and becomes overly excited at the drop of the hat. I quickly determined
she has no off button. She was on from dawn to dusk. I started looking for
trainers and knew it would take a really skilled trainer to work with me and
newly named, Serena. I found K-9 Companions in Woodcrest. Serena’s trainer was
a no nonsense woman in the military who managed to get Serena on the right
track to becoming a well-behaved dog. She went into training knowing the down
command and came out knowing heel, sit, stay and wait. She never learned the
Come command. It just wasn’t in her. Even with some commands under her belt she
was a handful when walking. Everything distracted her. Anything small and
moving set Serena’s prey instinct in motion. I took her everywhere with me. We
went camping, hiked Mt. Rubidoux, and later in New Mexico we hiked Gomez Peak a
couple of times. I tried to teach her to fetch. I threw grapefruit for her to
bring to me. She would drop them half way, behind me , to my side, that is when
she bothered to bring them to me at all. She could play with her Kong solo,
never sharing. She would toss it, bounce it and run around with it. She knew
toys were not to go outside and would be on a dead run to go out and drop her
Kong just before she hit the door. If
she lost her Kong she could show me where it was three days later.

Serena never met a person she did not like. She greeted
everyone who came to visit me as if they had come to visit her personally. She
got along with some dogs but I never knew which dogs might set her off. If she
spotted another dog while in the car she would bark until we got out of sight.
Her babysitters loved her.

Her hips were bad from the beginning. As she got older, her
hips began to fail her. I got wheels for her and meds to ease the pain. It took
about a week for her to get the hang of walking in her wheels. It helped when
she saw my neighbor (remember she loves people). She would forget she was in
her wheels and begin to run to greet him.

On Monday of this week I left for Tucson for a dental
appointment. Serena stayed home with a babysitter. She was somewhat feisty when
I left so I felt confident she would be fine. The night before I was scheduled
to come home Serena took a turn for the worse. Bree notified me and I got on
the phone to make arrangements and to get my neighbor to help Bree get Serena
into the car. The vet determined that multiple failures where taking place. I
said, “No heroics. Just keep her stable until I get there. She was on oxygen
and an IV but went into cardiac arrest an hour before arrive. As I was driving
up highway 90 I looked out over the mountains and saw a ghost image of Serena
running over the mountains. She ran beside the car and was gone. I will miss
that crazy dog.

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My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning. And I go to bed at night. In between I occupy myself as best I can.
How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterwards. __Spanish proverb